Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Writer says movie script on Ninoy Aquino story is ready

Ninoy Aquino lifted by security after he was fatally shot at MIA on August 21, 1983 / photo grabbed from CNN

Manila, Philippines – An article from the Philippine Daily
Inquirer reveals that there is movie script ready on late opposition leader Ninoy
Aquino’s assassination.

The report said that a certain freelance writer named Chris
Viriña has spent 18 years to dig almost every piece of document related to the
Aquino death, which includes events and incidents preceding it.

Viriña has written a film script that delves not only on who
ordered, “Planned and executed the murder of Aquino upon his arrival from exile
in the United States, but, more importantly, why he was silenced with a single
bullet to the head.”

Viriña, 54, son of veteran radio-TV-film scriptwriter Loida
Flores Viriña, said that he did a lot of research on the subject before writing
the first draft of the story.

When asked on what encouraged him to write the script, Viriña
said that “Because nobody has dared, and it seems there’s something
wrong with that part of our history and also what’s happening today.”

According to inquirer’s article, the freelance writer grew
under martial law and was only fresh out of college – when Aquino was shot at
the airport.

In order to write the script, it was said that Viriña went
through the fact-finding commission that former President Marcos formed to
investigate the case of Aquino. He had also watched videos, and read numerous
articles related to the past.

Viriña also went to the National Library to read up on Aquino
to get a better appreciation of the opposition leader.

On his research, Viriña said that he found out about Jose
Fronda Santos - an erstwhile bodyguard of Aquino and ex-member of a government
death squad.*

Santos allegedly told the Agrava Commission that Aviation
Security Command chief Luther Custodio, who headed the airport security on the
day of Aquino’s return, to spy on Aquino in the United States, and if the opportunity
presented itself, to kill the opposition leader.

Custodio, on the other hand, denied the allegations.

“Santos repeated his testimony in his affidavit submitted to
the US House subcommittee on Asia and Pacific affairs, which stated that the
instructions to assassinate the former senator came from former President
Marcos and Gen. Fabian Ver” the article says.

“Santos fled the country in January 1984 and has asked for
political asylum in the United States.” It added.

The writer disclosed that he gave Cory Aquino the initial
draft of his script, for her comments. But he was unable to meet with her
before she died.